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Aiming to get more people to visit the nation’s parks, the U.S. National Park Service hosts several days throughout the year in which entrance fees to all the sites within the National Park Service system are waived.
That means you can visit places like Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon without shelling out the usual $20 to $35 fee.
There are more than 400 units managed by the National Park Service, which includes national parks, memorials, monuments, battlefields, preserves and others; of those, more than 100 charge an entry fee. The free admittance does not include amenities and user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation and special tours. Note: Some parks require reservations, which can be made through recreation.gov.
Seventy percent of Americans 50-plus said they planned to travel in 2025, according to AARP’s Travel Trends survey. Fifty-six percent of those travelers planned to travel domestically. These domestic parks provide an opportunity to experience nature and benefit from a decrease in depression and stress hormone levels, as well as a possible reduction in the need for some medications.
For 2026, park fees will be waived on the following days and holidays:
- Feb. 16: Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
- May 25: Memorial Day
- June 14: Flag Day/President Donald Trump’s birthday
- July 3-5: Independence Day weekend
- Aug. 25: 110th birthday of the National Park Service
- Sept. 17: Constitution Day
- Oct. 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
- Nov. 11: Veterans Day
National park enthusiasts who want to visit national parks more than once can save by purchasing an annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which costs $80 and gives you unlimited entrance to over 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all the national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. Free and discounted passes are available for older adults, active members of the military, families of fourth-grade students and citizens with disabilities. For 2026, the pass for people 62 and older is $20. A senior lifetime pass costs $80. The annual pass is free for the other groups. In 2024, 331.9 million people visited national parks, 2 percent more than in 2023. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most visited national park last year, with about 12.2 million recreation visitors.
Top 10 National Parks in 2024 by Visitors
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 12.19 million
- Zion National Park, 4.95 million
- Grand Canyon National Park, 4.92 million
- Yellowstone National Park, 4.74 million
- Rocky Mountain National Park, 4.15 million
- Yosemite National Park, 4.12 million
- Acadia National Park, 3.96 million
- Olympic National Park, 3.71 million
- Grand Teton National Park, 3.63 million
- Glacier National Park, 3.21 million
Source: National Park Service.
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